ADA access signs are signage that includes the International Symbol of Accessibility, or ISA.

For many years, the symbol for wheelchair accessibility has been a familiar sight in cities all across the nation. It is typically used to mark areas where environmental barriers have been altered or removed to allow equal access to wheelchair users.

When anyone sees these symbols on restroom ADA signs, they understand that the area is accessible. But what does that mean exactly? Let’s explore what accessibility means to wheelchair users and the general public.

Accommodating people with disabilities

People with disabilities live in the same world as everyone else because they are the same as everyone else. Wheelchair users do not want special treatment, only accommodation to allow them equal access to public facilities as those without mobility impairments.

They do not want to be seen as victims of their conditions, or portrayed as tortured individuals courageously struggling with their afflictions. Disabled people would rather be regarded as individuals who accomplish average everyday activities by finding alternative ways and means to do so. To achieve and lead normal lives, disabled people are best aided by removing the barriers put before them by our society, not the obstructions of their own bodies.

ADA access signs are designed to mark areas where these barriers and obstructions have been removed, providing disabled people with sufficient accommodations.

ADA restroom access sign characteristics

There are a variety of restroom ADA signs using the ISA symbol. They range from signs with symbols indicating men’s restroom, women’s restroom, or unisex restroom facilities to signs that feature the ISA symbol by itself.

These signs also typically include Braille lettering for use by people who are blind or have low vision. The symbols and lettering are printed using contrasting colors and legible fonts. As a rule, all of these images are raised to further aid in sign reading.

ADA access signs identify accommodations

The ISA symbol seen alongside these sign elements indicate that the restroom has been adapted for use by wheelchair users.

The facility contains toilet stalls built at the regulation measurements to comfortable fit wheelchairs and allow for mobility within the stall. The sign also indicates that certain tools to aid mobility, such as handrail bars, are also present. Other parts of the stall such as bathroom tissue holders and coat hooks are place at a height easily reachable by the average wheelchair user. These measurements are contained in ADA guidelines provided by the government.

Also, the restroom may have automatic doors with devices used to open them. These doors are created at a specific size to accommodate wheelchairs, and the devices to open them are placed at a practical height where they can be reached easily.

All of these accommodations are indicated by restroom signs that contain the simple and effective ISA symbol.

Be sure your business has the proper ADA access signs

If you are a business owner or manager, you know the value of purchasing ADA access signs and displaying them in the proper places.

This simple act shows your dedication to accommodating wheelchair users. Everyone including your customers, clients, employees, and guests, will make good use of your signs. They will be confident to conduct business with you knowing you are interested in accommodating everyone equally.

There are many veterans in our country that have no idea that they could be receiving benefits. Some veterans feel that they do not have any reason to receive benefits and others upon being discharged would rather leave that life behind. Plus, the laborious, seemingly endless application process can seem too daunting even to give it a try. But injured or disabled veterans have a right to benefits, and so should look into the process for obtaining them.

Q: How do you know if you could be receiving benefits? Who is qualified to receive benefits?

A: Three main components make up a veteran’s possible eligibility for service connected disability benefits. First, you had to have served in the Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Marines, or Air Force. Second, you must have a current disability, either caused by your time in the service or a disability that you had going into the service and it was aggravated or made worse by your time in the service. There is a wide range of these sorts of disabilities, to some types of cancer, to breathing problems, to other disabilities that originated from or were affected by your service. Third, you have to be able to connect your current disability to your time in the service.

An example is, if you were on leave from active duty and vacationing with your family and while skiing you fell and broke your leg or injured your knee. Today, even though many years have passed, the problem caused by that old injury is only getting worse, and you will soon need surgery to have the knee replaced. Though it may not seem like it, this injury itself is service connected, as you were on active duty when the accident or illness occurred, even though you were on leave. And in addition to the surgery, the incident has caused other problems that you need taken care of.

Q: But how will receiving benefits from Veteran Affairs really help me?

A: Like this: if you do obtain benefits, you can receive monthly monetary benefits, as well as eligibility to use the VA hospital and medical facilities. The amount of your monthly benefit will depend on your percentage of service connection granted.

Q: If I am currently service connected and I have hearing loss at 10% and PTSD at 30% why am I only considered 30% service connected?

A: Veteran Affairs uses a rating schedule that uses the severity of your disability to tell them what percentage service connected disability to award you. Rather than using math to determine these percentages, they use a rating chart to give you a total final percentage, or rating. These service connection percentages can be tricky to understand and if you feel that you should be receiving more benefits or a higher percentage then you should look into your disability and the severity or contact a professional that could assist you.

Q: Why does my neighbor receive 70% for the same disability that I have?

A: This happens because Veteran Affairs determines all service connection percentages individually, based on the severity of a veteran’s disability. Again, there is a rating schedule that determines the amount of benefit and the percentage of service connection that each person receives.

Q: If I work at Veteran Affairs, can I still receive disability benefits for my time in service?

A: Yes. Unlike with Social Security Disability, the disability benefits you obtain from Veteran Affairs are not affected by working. If you obtain benefits for a service connected disability, but are still able to work, then you are entitled to keep working and receiving benefits. Your disability benefits are not reduced or annulled if you are earning an income.

Q: Can I obtain benefits from both Social Security Disability and the Dept. of Veteran Affairs? A: Yes. While Social Security Disability does gauge your earned income when determining your SSD benefits, your VA benefits are not considered earned income, and so will not get in the way of your SSD benefits.

Q: My spouse, who was in the service and getting benefits from the VA for a service connected disability, has passed away. Can I receive their benefits?

A: There are benefits for surviving spouses and dependent children. However, every case is different, and you need to be sure to speak to a professional before moving forward.

Q: How do I apply for benefits?

A: Veteran Affairs has laws to follow called “Veteran Friendly Laws.” The VA has the duty to help you file a claim and walk you through the process of obtaining benefits. There are Regional Offices in every state and there are organizations set up to assist the veterans at no cost to you. To locate your local Veteran Affairs Regional Office and any local Veteran Service Organizations, visit the Veteran Affairs website at www.va.gov.

Q: Can I hire an attorney?

A: The VA does have laws that tell attorneys when they can represent a client for a fee and when they can not. You can find some lawyers who will represent you for free, or Pro Bono, and others who will require you to sign a contract promising payment for their services. You should contact a local attorney’s office for more information and specifics regarding your claim.

Q: I already get benefits for a service connected ability. Is there any other benefit I can receive?

A: This depends on your situation. If, for instance, your service connected disability has grown in severity since you began receiving benefits, you can apply for an increase in your percentage or rating, which will also increase the amount of your monthly benefits. Veteran Affairs also provides expanded benefits to those veterans who cannot work due to their service connected disability. To apply for these benefits there is a separate form that needs to be filled out and filed with the VA. If you feel you are unemployable and should be receiving higher benefits you should contact a VSO or an Attorney to answer your questions and possibly assist you in obtaining these benefits. The VA also has benefits for those individuals that are unable to care for themselves on a regular basis or those that are unable to leave their home most of the time. These benefits are a homebound compensation. This is an option to consider if you feel you need assistance to care for yourself.

Because each claim is different, getting the benefits that you are entitled to can be a complex and confusing process. The VA’s website has a lot of information on what kind of benefits there are beyond disability benefits and what you can do to receive these benefits. If you are a veteran and you were injured in any way or your disabilities that you had before going into the service were aggravated in any way please look into your options. You served for our country and you may be entitled to veterans benefits.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has the most far-reaching impact on the U.S. workplace since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Yet many Americans are confused about the meaning of key terms used in the Act. This article unravels the confusion about the term ‘disability’ and clarifies what conditions are covered and what are not.

The ADA defines ‘disability’ as:

A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual … or a record of such an impairment … or being regarded as having such an impairment.

The ADA covers more than just people who are deaf, blind, or use wheelchairs. It also covers:

• People who have physical conditions, such as medical disorders, cosmetic disfigurement and severe damage or loss to a body part or system. Examples include: epilepsy, paralysis, diabetes, MS, HIV infection, or severe forms of arthritis, hypertension or carpal tunnel syndrome. Also alcoholism.
• People with mental impairments, such as mental illness or retardation, learning disabilities and psychological disorders. Examples include: major depression, bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder, dyslexia, and mental retardation.

But, when dealing with ADA issues, you should avoid engaging in medical diagnosis. Instead, focus on the effect a disability has on a person’s life.

Which takes us to major life activities. Nothing mysterious here — seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself, working, etc.

Thus far, we’ve been talking about actual impairments. The ADA also covers:

• A person with a record of any such impairment. For example, cancer that is now in remission, a recovering alcoholic, or a person who has recovered from mental illness.
• A person who is regarded as having such impairment, particularly if you were to act based on myths, fears, or stereotypes. For example, although AIDS is a disability, homosexuality is not. However, if an employer were to treat gay persons as if they had AIDS, that would be covered under ADA.
• A person who is associated with people with disabilities. For example: A person whose spouse has a disability and the employer is concerned about excessive absenteeism or health insurance costs. Or someone who does volunteer work for people with AIDS and there’s an unwarranted fear of infection.

Not all physical or mental conditions are covered, however. The following are not protected under ADA:

• Minor, non-chronic conditions of short duration, such as a sprain, broken limb, or flu.
• Individuals who currently engage in the illegal use of drugs.
• Advanced age or pregnancy. [These are covered by other laws, but not as disabilities.]
• Compulsive gambling, kleptomania and pyromania.
• Homosexuality, bisexuality, transvestitism, sexual behavior disorders.* [Homosexuality and bisexuality are protected by many state and local laws, though not as disabilities.]
• Job performance limitations due strictly to environmental, cultural or economic factors such as poverty. Example: Inability to read due to dyslexia is covered; but if due to lack of education, it is not covered.
• Job performance problems due strictly to personality or character traits, e.g., irresponsibility, bad temper, computer phobia, shyness.

* [NOTE: This grouping of sexual orientation with behavior disorders is as it is presented in federal government publications, not as the authors would have arranged it.]

Differentiating people on the basis of disability is a crime. Still, many people do not refrain from committing such atrocities every now and then. A daily newspaper is a real proof to this. Every day at least one such incidence is reported.

To safeguard the rights of disabled, certain laws have been formulated and acts have been devised by the American government. Under the umbrella of law, they have been given a considerable amount of protection.

In America, the disability law is regulated by the American with Disability Act (ADA). The provisions of this Act prohibits discrimination against people or individuals with any kind of disabilities. It protects them to face disabilities everywhere, be it office, home, educational institute or a public utility place.

Under the American Disability Act, disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment, which limits substantially some or all the major important activities of an individual.

Under this act, alcoholism is included as a type of disability. But the other undesirable social behaviors are excluded from being a part of this Act. For instance, various disorders in one’s sexual behavior like pedophilia, compulsive gambling, transvestism, and pyromania are excluded. But ADA does not however lists all impairments under it.

Further, ADA aims for reasonable and equal accommodation for all the disabled without any biases. The departments and agencies that can enforce the provisions under ADA are the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Justice. Apart from them, the state can pass the disability statutes. The statutes that prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities include Fair Housing Act, Individual with Disabilities Education Act, Rehabilitation Act and Air Carrier Access Act.

It is considered unlawful to discriminate any body on the aspect of denying the selling, renting or even accommodating a house, just because of an individual who is suffering from any kind of disability. This is all covered under the Fair Housing Act.

Under the Rehabilitation Act, there is prohibition of discrimination on the basis of the programs that are conducted by the Federal agencies of the States. The air carriers are prohibited to discriminate against people having any kind of disability, under the Air Carrier Access Act. Last but never the least, the Disabilities Education Act asks the various public schools, free public education to the children who are disabled but still eligible to get such kinds of education.